House of Prayer Episcopal Church in
Branchtown/Ogontz neighborhood of Philadelphia is an historically African American church in the
Episcopal Diocese of Pennsylvania near
La Salle University. It was founded as a mission of
St. Luke's, Germantown in 1860. It has a small adjacent cemetery for members of the Barclay family. Its name is taken from Isaiah 56:7, Matthew 21:13, Mark 11:17, and Luke 19:46: "Mine house shall be called a house of prayer for all people."
The church building was designed by noted New York City architect
Emlen T. Littell (1838-1891), whose brother was its first rector. The completed church was consecrated on July 14, 1863, by Bishop
William Bacon Stevens
William Bacon Stevens (July 13, 1815 – June 11, 1887) was the fourth Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Pennsylvania.
Biography
Stevens was educated at Phillips Academy, Andover and later studied medicine at Dartmouth College and the Medical ...
. The rectory was built in 1908, and a large parish house was added in 1925. In 1941, a "catacombs chapel" was installed in the basement by rector the Rev. Dr. Howard M. Stuckert.
A 1964 diocesan report described the Branchtown neighborhood as "formerly Jewish, now predominantly Negro." In 1964, the parish had 287 members. In 2019, the parish reported 97 members and 15 average Sunday attendance, with $39,319 in plate and pledge financial support. It reported no attendance for 2020.
The church has had a number of internal organizations, including Scouting groups for boys and girls,
Episcopal Church Women
Episcopal may refer to:
*Of or relating to a bishop, an overseer in the Christian church
*Episcopate, the see of a bishop – a diocese
*Episcopal Church (disambiguation), any church with "Episcopal" in its name
** Episcopal Church (United State ...
, the
Brotherhood of St. Andrew for men, the
Girls' Friendly Society
The Girls' Friendly Society In England And Wales (or just GFS) is a charitable organisation that empowers girls and young women aged 5 to 25, encouraging them to develop their full potential through programs that provide training, confidence b ...
, and the
Confraternity of the Blessed Sacrament
The Confraternity of the Blessed Sacrament (CBS), officially the Confraternity of the Blessed Sacrament of the Body and Blood of Christ, is a devotional society in the Anglican Communion dedicated to venerating the Real Presence of Christ in the Eu ...
.
See also
{{Portal, Philadelphia
*
House of Prayer Episcopal Church and Rectory
House of Prayer Episcopal Church and Rectory is a historic site at Broad and State Streets in Newark, Essex County, New Jersey, United States. The house was built in prior to 1725 (c. 1710) and the church in 1849 and they were added to the Nat ...
,
Newark, New Jersey
Newark ( , ) is the most populous city in the U.S. state of New Jersey and the seat of Essex County and the second largest city within the New York metropolitan area.[Collegeville, Minnesota
Collegeville is an unincorporated community in St. Wendel Township, Stearns County, Minnesota, United States, near St. Joseph. The community is located near the junction of Collegeville Road and Old Collegeville Road. Nearby is Saint John's Abb ...]
*St. James House of Prayer Episcopal Church,
Tampa, Florida
Tampa () is a city on the Gulf Coast of the United States, Gulf Coast of the U.S. state of Florida. The city's borders include the north shore of Tampa Bay and the east shore of Old Tampa Bay. Tampa is the largest city in the Tampa Bay area and ...
References
Directory of the House of Prayer, Branchtown (1910)from Philadelphia Studies
Study of the Episcopal Diocese of Pennsylvania: House of Prayer, Branchtown (1964)
External links
Official parish websiteDocuments on the House of Prayer
from Philadelphia Studies
YouTube montage
(2015)
House of Prayer Cemetery
from Find a Grave
Episcopal Diocese of Pennsylvania
1860 establishments in Pennsylvania
Episcopal Church in Pennsylvania
Religious organizations established in 1860
19th-century Episcopal church buildings